Comparative and Functional Genomics of Behavioral and Cognitive Phenotypes in Vertebrates

Dear Colleagues,

This issue aims to explore the genomic influences on behavioral and cognitive traits exhibited by different vertebrate species, providing insights into their evolutionary origins, mechanisms, and functions.

Understanding the genetic basis of behavior and cognition has long been a goal in biology. Vertebrates offer a diverse range of species and complex behavioral repertoires, making them an ideal platform for investigating the links between genes, the brain, and behavior. Recent advancements in genomics technologies and comparative analyses present unprecedented opportunities to delve into the molecular and functional aspects of behavioral and cognitive variation.

This special issue covers a wide scope of topics within comparative and functional genomics of behavioral and cognitive phenotypes in vertebrates. We invite original research articles, reviews, and methodological papers that shed light on the genetic and genomic factors contributing to behavioral and cognitive diversity across species.

The objectives of this special issue are as follows:

1. Explore the genetic basis of behavioral and cognitive traits: Uncover genetic variants, gene networks, and regulatory mechanisms associated with the development and expression of behavioral and cognitive phenotypes in vertebrates.
2. Investigate the evolutionary origins and mechanisms of these traits: Compare genomic data from diverse vertebrate species to elucidate the forces shaping behavioral and cognitive diversity, identifying conserved genetic pathways and lineage-specific adaptations.
3. Examine the functional implications of genetic variation: Investigate how genetic differences and variations in gene expression contribute to functional and behavioral differences among vertebrates, considering interactions between genes, the brain, neural circuits, and the environment.
4. Highlight emerging technologies and methodologies: Present novel approaches, tools, and techniques for studying the genomics of behavioral and cognitive phenotypes, including advances in genome sequencing, transcriptomics, epigenomics, and gene editing technologies.

We invite researchers to contribute to this special issue and collectively advance our understanding of the comparative and functional genomics of behavioral and cognitive phenotypes in vertebrates.

Dr. Kristopher J. Irizarry
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• genetics
• genomics
• vertebrates
• phenotype
• cognition
• behavior